Andalucia covers 17.3% of Spanish territory, 87,268 km² in total, making it the largest single region, with an area greater than countries such as Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland.
In Andalucia, contrasts are the norm. The diversity of the landscapes which make up the region provides an entire spectrum: from the warm Guadalquivir valley, to leafy low mountain areas, from volcanic landscapes such as the Tabernas Desert to the white peaks of Sierra Nevada.
Andalucia´s main river, the Guadalquivir, from the Arabic, meaning "Great River", together with its tributary, the Genil, forms a fertile valley which constitutes the fundamental geographical axis of Andalucia. From its beginnings in eastern Andalucia, in the Sierra de Cazorla, to its outlet into the sea in the west, next to the marshes of Doñana National Park, the Guadalquivir is a source of life all along its journey across Andalucian territory.
Numerous tributaries, springing from the mountain areas along its banks, pour the excess water from the reservoirs in Sierra Morena or the Betico Mountains into the Guadalquivir. Such water takes on an important role in regulating the water supply, not only for human consumption, but also in the case of heavy rains and the consequent river floods.
Despite the importance of the Guadalquivir, fifty per cent of the region is mountainous. A third of the territory stands above 600 metres, with many high plains areas, and there are 46 peaks above 1000 metres.
The queen of heights is undoubtedly the Sierra Nevada, in the heart of the Penibético System, where summits above 3,400 m, such as el Mulhacén and el Veleta, preside majestically over the rest of the nearby ranges.
Within forty kilometres it is possible to travel from this alpine landscape to the tropical shores of the Mediterranean. The Andalucian coast, almost 900 km long, is home to a large number of towns and beaches, the delight of those who visit them. In recent years, Andalucia has made great efforts to improve the quality of its coastal area to suit the increasingly demanding tourist market.
Within this diverse landscape live more than seven million inhabitants, spread out among the diverse habitats which abound. The majority live in the big cities - the eight provincial capitals (Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville) and Jerez de la Frontera head the list with regards to population growth - while many others prefer to live in towns, small mountain villages, country estates and farmsteads.
This collection of environments forms a blend of tourist offers, which range from the monumental glory of the big towns to the traditional nature of small villages, a continual source of inspiration for all types of artists.
Nowadays, Andalucia is a modern community, equipped with a great infrastructure that knows how to welcome its visitors, and which, despite being conscious of moving with the times, takes great pains to maintain its roots and to look after its important cultural and monumental patrimony.
Andalucia has also made a great effort to back sports, not only due to the growing interest among its people for this healthy way of caring for the body, but also in response to the importance that sport has amongst the visitors to this community. Apart from the great variety of sporting events held in this region, ranging from the most simple to high-level sports events, there are always world class competitions on the horizon to keep hopes high for the future.
By about 1000 BC a flourishing culture rich in agriculture, animals and metals, and largely made up of Phoenician and Greek traders, had arisen in western Andalucía. The Carthigians toppled this society in the 6th century BC, and by 206 BC the area was in Roman hands. One of the wealthiest parts of the empire, Andalucía, gave Rome two emperors: Trajan and Hadrian. In return Rome gave Andalucía aqueducts, temples, theatres, amphitheatres, circuses, baths, its language (Spanish) and its religion (Christianity).
The Romans' successors, the Visigoths, were ousted in 711 by a Moorish invasion that was to begin four centuries of Muslim rule on the Iberian Peninsula. In their main cities (Córdoba, then Seville, then Granada), the Muslims built beautiful palaces, mosques and gardens, established large markets and founded universities. Al-Andalus, the name given to the Muslim territories, became the most civilised society in medieval Europe.
During the Islamic era, Christians were persecuted, and many rebel groups formed. Portugal took Lisbon in 1147 and Seville (then capital of Al-Andalus) was taken by the Christian state of Castile in 1248. In 1482, the Reconquista, led by husband-and-wife team Isabel and Fernando (the Catholic monarchs of Castile and Aragón-Catalunya), launched a crusade on the last Muslim stronghold of Granada, finally conquering the province in 1492.
The monarchs revived the Inquisition (founded in the 13th century to root out heretics in France), and ordered the expulsion of every Jew who refused Christian baptism. Islamic books were burnt, the Arabic language was banned and any remaining Muslims were forced into conversion.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas and a government office was founded in Seville to control commerce with the new colonies. But the riches (silver and gold) brought back from America were not managed well, and the Hapsburg kings who followed Isabel and Fernando spent too much money on European wars; by the 17th century Spain was going into decline. Epidemics and bad harvests killed thousands of people, leaving Andalucía's population seriously depleted.
Spain made some degree of recovery in the 18th century under the new Bourbon dynasty (still in place today); new towns and roads were built and the monarchy gave industries a cash injection. Trade through Andalucian ports (including Málaga) grew and Cádiz experienced an economic boom. But when Louis XVI of France (a cousin of Spain's Carlos IV) was guillotined in 1793, Spain waged war on France, and lost. Spanish people rose up against Napoleon's French occupation and the ensuing war for independence lasted five years. This time the Spanish won and a new constitution asserting sovereignty for the people was drawn up in Cádiz.
This set the scene for a century of struggle between the liberals and the conservatives. During his reign King Fernando VII (1814-34) revoked the constitution, reinstated the Inquisition, and persecuted liberals; Spain entered a severe economic recession and the American colonies won their independence. The dichotomy between the rich bourgeoisie and the poor labourers was particularly marked in Andalucía. In 1873 a liberal government proclaimed the First Republic, but it was overthrown 11 months later when the army reinstated the monarchy. The misery of the poor continued and many Andalucian peasants migrated to Latin America. Others joined popular anarchist movements, staging uprisings and strikes that were quickly quashed.
In 1923 general Miguel Primo de Rivera began a mild military dictatorship and the anarchists went underground. King Alfonso XIII dismissed him in 1930. Municipal elections in 1931 resulted in the Second Republic and King Alfonso fled to Italy.
The Second Republic (1931-36) was headed first by a leftist government, then a right. Neither government included fascist or anarchist groups and by 1936 violence caused by these factions had escalated into a brutal and bloody civil war. The Nationalists, supported by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, gradually took Andalucía's cities, murdering thousands on their way. By 1936 General Franco had emerged as the undisputed Nationalist leader. After battles in Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid he declared the war won on April 1, 1939.
Franco's rule (from 1939 until his death in 1975) was characterised by repression and suffering. He was leader of the army, the government and the only political party, the Movimento Nacional (National Movement). Catholic orthodoxy was restored, army garrisons kept the people down and jails were full of political prisoners. Although he kept Spain out of WWII, a United Nations trade boycott in 1940 hit poor areas such as Andalucía particularly hard. Between 1950 and 1973 around 1.5 million left Andalucía in search of work elsewhere.
Franco's successor Prince Juan Carlos (Alfonso XIII's grandson) is largely responsible for the subsequent transition to democracy. During his reign Franco's party was abolished and a multi-party system introduced; divorce, homosexuality, and contraception were legalised; and relaxed laws allowed the late-night bar and club scene to emerge. In 1982 Spain finally broke with the past by voting the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), led by Felipe González from Seville, into government. The PSOE eradicated much of Andalucía's poverty with grants. In 1986 Spain joined the EC (now the EU), and in 1992 Seville hosted the Expo world fair. In 1996 the centre-right Partido Popular (People's Party) won the elections under the leadership of José María Aznar. After four years of steady economic progress, Aznar and the PP won again in 2000.
Although Andalucía still lags behind the rest of Spain, poverty is down, education is up, and tourism and gradual industrial growth are giving the region a welcome prosperity. There's a high-speed train from Madrid to Seville, and Málaga is an important gateway to the area for foreign visitors. Yet even with all this new-found wealth, Andalucians remain loyal to their country, their region and their families. The memories of past struggles are still fresh. |
